Beverage tray



Se p t'. 10,1963 M. LYNCHEY 3,103,303 r V BEVERAGE TRAY Filed Jan. 30, 1962 j f," INVENTOR I JZIMES M ZYNCHEY A TTOE/VE' YS United States Patent 3,103,383 BEVERAGE TRAY James M. Lynchey, Detroit, Mich. (25535 Catalina Drive, Southlield, Mich.) Filed Jan. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 169,882 1 Claim. (Cl. 224-48) This invention relates to a novel tray for carrying filled beverage containers, such as glasses and paper cups.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a generally superior tray of the kind indicated, which is especially adapted for use in safely and conveniently carrying a number of filled beverage glasses or paper cups, as from a dispensing machine or lunch wagon to work areas, and for use by hostesses tor serving beverages in the home, the tray having provision for receiving and retaining, in a well, any spillage from the beverage containers.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tray of the character indicated above which has a central depressed well formed in a bottom wall which is sloped toward the well, and a plurality of beverage container receiving openings surrounding the well, in an arrangement such that any spillage from the containers drains to and remains in the well, the tray having an upstanding peripheral wall which confines any spillage to the tray and assures its being drained to the well.

A {further object of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive, rugged, and atractive tray of the character indicated above, which is suitable as an advertising or as an identifying medium for clubs, lodges, and the like, the bottom of the well serving as a suitable and attractive place for the placement of advertising or identifying media, whereby the tray is an effective device for distribution and use by advertisers and others, at relatively low cost.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a beverage tray of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 3; and 1 FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts wthroughout the several views, the illustrated tray, generally designated 8, is preferably made of plastic or of lightweight, non-corrosive metal, such as aluminum, in various attractive colors, and comprises a single relatively rigid elongated rectangular sheet or plate having arcuately rounded corners 12.

The plate 10 is formed by any suitable process, with an upstanding arcuate edge wall 14, with a central preferably circular well 16, and with a fiat bottom wall 18, which is slightly downwardly angled, as shown in FIG- URE 3, relative to the horizontal, trom all areas of the plate, to the wall 16, so that any liquid accumulating on the bottom wall 18 is retained thereon by the edge wall 14, and is gravitationally drained to the well 16.

The bottom wall 18 is formed, in the spaces within the corners 12 and the well 16, with circular openings 20, properly diametered to accommodate the beverage glasses or cups contemplated for use with the tray. Beverage containers suitable for use with the tray have a downwardly tapered shape, the upper end of which is larger in diameter than the openings 20 so as to wedge in the openings, and can have lateral beads 22, at their upper ends, which are larger in diameter than the openings 20, as indicated in FIGURE 4.

The openings 20 have upstanding surrounding circular walls 24, which are formed of the material of the bottom wall 18, and merge ourvedly therein, as indicated at 26 in FIGURE 4, thereby forming channels 26 which convey any spillage from the beverage containers in the openings 20 toward the well 16. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the opening walls 24, at the inner ends of the tray, are connected together by solid necks 28, of the material of the plate 10, whereby the tray is given added rigidity and strength, without the use of corrugations or ribs which would detract from the smooth draining surface of the bottom wall '18.

Although there has been shown and described a preterred form of the invention, it is to be undestood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claim appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

A beverage tray comprising:

(a) a tray bottom wall;

(b)'auan upstanding peripheral wall on the bottom (c) a depressed well, including a well bottom wall, formed in the tray bottom wall and spaced from the peripheral wall;

(d) the tray bottom wall having a'pl-urality of beverage container receiving openings formed therein, in pairs, located between the peripheral wall and the well;

(e) upstanding circular wall-s about the openings merging inwardly into the tray bottom wall;

(f) rigidifying necks connecting the circular walls of each pair of openings; and

(g) the tray bottom wall being inwardly and downwardly angled toward the well from all areas of the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 224,632 Berry Feb. 17, 1880 950,988 Booth Mar. 1, 1910 1,754,713 Green Apr. 15, 1930 1,962,556 Eberhardt June 12, 1934 2,375,643 Germanotta May 8, 1945 2,640,589 Foster June 2, '1953 2,766,919 Randall Oct. 16, 1956 2,814,381 Stevick Nov. 26, 1957 2,821,307 Linsley o Jan. 28, 1958 2,826,347 Schiavo Mar. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 192,566 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1923 

